There are different issues for the very young, young, middle
age, and advanced age that must be considered before having conventional
or custom
wavefront
Lasik,
All-Laser Lasik,
PRK,
LASEK,
Epi-Lasik,
RLE,
P-IOLs or other
refractive surgery procedure.
Pediatric Lasik
The
FDA approved the
excimer
laser for patientsover the age of 18, however it is possible
for someone under 18 to have surgery. This would be an
off-label use of the medical device and would be legal if a
doctor determined Lasik would be appropriate. Pediatric Lasik has
been used only in extreme cases where vision is threatened by
ambylopia or other serious sight threatening situation because
of severe refractive error. Do not expect a doctor to wave this
age requirement easily.
Young Age
Although 18 is the minimum age for most situations, the chronological
age is not really the important point. In all cases, the eyes must
be stable. No matter how old you are, your prescription needs to
have been without change for at least two years. The most popular
technique for this age is Lasik, with the laser eye surgery techniques
of PRK, LASEK and Epi-Lasik for specific circumstances. If the patient
has very high refractive error or very thin corneas, a
phakic intraocular lens lens (P-IOL) may be appropriate.
Middle Age
As we approach age 40, the natural lens of the eye has greater
difficulty changing focus. This is called
presbyopia. It is possible that someone in their late 30's and
early 40's is able to see close (reading) and far (horizon) but
could lose this ability after refractive surgery. You may want to
read about
Sudden Presbyopia. There is no predictable, safe, and reliable
surgical method to correct presbyopia, however some people find
acceptable
workaround techniques including
monovision. Monovision can be induced with contact lenses, Lasik,
All-Laser Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, and
NearVision
CK.
Advanced Age
As we get closer to our 60's it is possible
cataracts will become a concern. If cataracts need to be removed,
then refractive surgery may not be a good idea and the cataract
surgery can take care of most refractive error. In fact, some people
elect to have cataract surgery for purely refractive purposes. This
is called
RLE. If the natural lens is clear and healthy, then Lasik, All-Laser
Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, P-IOLs are all possibly appropriate
techniques.
If you are ready to choose a doctor to be evaluated for conventional
or custom
wavefront
Lasik,
All-Laser Lasik,
PRK,
LASEK,
Epi-Lasik,
NearVision CK,
RLE, or any
refractive surgery procedure, we highly recommend you consider
a doctor who has been evaluated and certified by the USAEyes
nonprofit organization. Locate a USAEyes Evaluated & Certified
Lasik Laser Eye Surgeon.
